Untitled
by Dilemma01
Summary: Still haven't come up with a title. I liked the suggestions though, Im still thinking about it. This is a revenge story.. yes its been done, but not my me.
1. Chapter 1

A/n: Hey guys! Well, this is my first story ever so I hope you guys like it. I wanted to make the guys seem a little more realistic so I kinda based their actions and personalities on guys I know now. Please review and let me know what you think about it!

P.s- Usual disclaimer... I clearly own nothing. lol

Watching from a car parked up the street from the Hardy household the man was stirred from his light sleep by the sound of car doors shutting and shouts of "see ya later" from a teenaged boy a little ways from his vehicle. Straightening up and peering through the window, the man smiled. Thats one of them right there, he thought to himself. He took in the boys appearence. Wearing a pair of worn jeans and a green polo shirt, the young man walking towards his car looked no different then any other teen his age. It was his blond hair sticking out from his hat and attractive facial features that made him easy to be picked out of a crowd,.. or, thought the man smiling, a picture. The teen was walking towards his house, peering anxiously at the windows looking for any sign of life. The teen checked his watch as he approached the rear of the mans car. It seemed he was to preoccupied with other things to notice the passenger in the car glaring as he passed the window. The man checked his own watch... 3 am. Yes, it was no wonder he was in such a rush to get home, if his parents had not been out of town they would surely ground him. The boy made it to the steps of his house, and nervously peered through the windows, looking satsified, the boy fiushed out his and keys, and in two seconds he was gone. Feeling slighty satisfied himself, the man, took out a notepad and begin writing notes. Yes, this would be the one. He was clealry not as caautious as his brother, which was proven by the boys late arrival, and he hadn't even checked the car like his brother had only hours earlier when he had made notice of the car... This just might be easier then he thought. Reaching the steps, Joe quietly fished out his keys. He hadn't planned on coming home this late... it's just that, well, once he arrived at Phils party and got to talking and having a couple drinks he didn't even realise that it was nearing the forbidden 2 am mark. His parents were going to kill him. He had tried coming home at 1 the weekend before and was met at the doors by his angry parents who had stayed up and waited for him. He couldn't even imagine what he was in for this time.

Reaching the door, he peered into the window. The lights weren't even on. The house seemed empty and quiet. Reaching into his jeans pocket he took out his house keys, and, sliping them into the lock, quietly pushed the door open.

The house was empty. Kicking off his Nikes at the door he noticed that his parents shoes were missing, and their jackets taken off the coat rack.

This is by far the best stroke of luck I have ever encountered in my 18 years on this planet. He thought with a smile. It wasn't uncommon for his partents to be out late for meetings and diners.. but he had always known about them ahead of time and was never left out in the dark.

Losing the feeling of impending doom, Joe flicked on the hall lights and headed towards the kitchen to get some food. No sooner had he entered the kicthen and thrown his hat on the counter did he hear footsteps coming down the stairs. Sensing the speech he was about to hear from his brother, Joe grabbed a bag of chips out of the cupboard, sat at the counter and waited.

Sure enough, Frank entered the kicthen looking pissed. Dressed in his burgundy sweats and a grey Bayport U tee he crossed his arms and stared his brother down.

"You got lucky you know. They were in such a rush they didn't even ask where you were... or what time you were going to be home. Just said to make sure that the alarms were on and that they'd be home next weekend."

Joe's eyes widened as he begin choking on the water he ahd been drinking. "Next weekend! Why wasn't I told of this?" Feeling even better about this situation Joe leaned back in his chair and gave his brother a smile. "You know, you should have been there tonight. Everyone was there.. I even saw that Dave guy from your Calc class.. that nerd. I mean, everyone made it. What were you working on this time? French? Math? Oh wait.. was it that history report thats due next month?" Joe knew his brother would never miss the opurtunity to start something early, but really.. who misses a party like that! Especially when the rents were out of town? Had he known that he probably wouldn't have come home.

" Actually, I was staying home on Mom and Dads orders. Do you even know why they're out of town. And don't tell me they never mentioned it," he added seeing Joes look of confusion "because I was in the room when they looked you in the face and told us that we were to stay in and try to keep our covers low."

Joe moaned. Ah yes.. he did remeber this, well, he remembered hearing about it through the fog that was his hangover from the night before. He had been out at Chets birthday party when upon rolling out of bed the next morning he was greeted with a sten warning that yet another man that had been put to justice by their father was out of jail.. and that once again, he could come after them for revenge.They were shown his picture and warned that he was completly dangerous and to watch out for each other. This warning was not something that that Joe took seriously anymore. They had heard it so many times that it was almost unusual not to get the speech once a month.

Frank sighed and walked over to Joe, grabbing the bag of chips from him and plopping down on the empty chair next to him. His mouth full Frank looked at Joe and broke into a smile. "So Dave was there? Was he drinking or was he just checkin out the girls?"

Joe burst into laughter. "Yeah, totally there for the ladies. He was just sitting in the corner staring. You don't even know how funny it was."

This turned into a long conversation and before either brother realised it was nearing 5 am. Joe ran a hand through his blond hair has his brother pushed his chair in and turned off the kicthen light. "Im heading to bed. Check the locks and the alarm before going to bed" Yawning, and ruffling his own brown hair, Frank turned and headed towards the stairs. "See you up there". The sounds of his brother retreating up the stairs prompted Joe to do the same. Getting up he brushed the chip crumbs off his shirt and stuffed the bag into the cupboard.

Walking through the downstairs portion of the house and checking the alarms and windows, Joe was satisfied that the house was secure and started up the stairs. He got halfway there when he suddenly remebered where he had left his house keys. "Shit." With a sigh he turned around and jumped down the last couple of stairs and sauntered to the front door. Opening it up, he was not surprised to see the keys still stuck in the lock where he had left them. Cursing his stupidity, Joe glanced once more up the street and turned back into the house just as a green car drove past, it's driver glaring at the teen as it past and continued slowly down the road.


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up the next morning, Joe was surprised to see that Frank was still asleep in the bed across the room. His brown hair was just visible beneath the blankets that had somehow managed to make their way over his head. Checking the alarm clock on his nightstand next to his bed, he came to the conclusion that it was time to get his ass out of bed. It was nearly one in the afternoon and Joe's stomach growled with hunger. Throwing on a pair of navy sweats and a white tee, he stumbled downstairs and checked the weather outside. It was yet another hot summer day, and Joe couldn't wait to get showered and make the most of the weather.

He quickly downed a bowl of cereal as he flicked through the channels in the living room. Finishing his breakfast, he was just heading back upstairs when Frank sauntered out of the bathroom.

"Hey, I meant to mention something to you last night. Did you notice a green car kinda lurking around when you got home last night?" Frank asked as he toweled his hair dry. "I asked the guy why he was just parked up the street and he said his car broke down and he was waiting to get it towed. I was just wondering if he was still there when you got home."

Joe thought back. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed he couldn't honestly remember seeing a car on his way in. "Well, I was a little worried about the reaction I was going to get from Mom and Dad when I got home, so I was a little preoccupied. I didn't see anything though. There were some cars parked along side of the street, but nothing suspicious." Frank nodded and glanced out the window to the street below. "Yeah, I didn't think it was anything to worry about, but with this guy out and all, I thought it was only safe to ask why he was there. Seemed nice though." With that Frank threw the towel at Joe. "Anyways, Ive gotta go work on that assignment. I really want to be ahead when school starts up again in the fall. What are your plans for the day?"

Joe sighed. "Well, with this weather I was kinda planning on going out for a jog. Maybe hit the beach. The girls are out of town so I thought Id take advantage of this while I still can." Smiling, he shut the bathroom door and quickly showered.

Once he changed into a pair of brown surf shorts and a white beater, he grabbed his sunglasses, stuck them on his head, and made his way back downstairs. Once in the kitchen, a peice of paper on the counter caught his eye. He reconized Franks handwriting right away.

"Joe, got called into work, won't be back untill around 11 tonight. Don't make a mess.. Frank" Joe sighed.. his brother was such a... big brother. Always fussing about him and acting like his dad. I mean, he's only a year older than me, it's not like I can't take care of myself. Throwing down the note Joe grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and was just starting towards the back door to get his sandels when a loud knock at the door startled him. Turning back down the hall Joe strode up and, without even checking the identity of the visiter, opened the door.

"Hello, is this the Hardy residence?" The man surprised Joe. Wearing a dirty pair of jeans and a ragged button up flannel shirt, the man was quite out of place next to the clean cut teen before him. It wasn't just this that surprised him, but the mans size was a little overwhelming. Joe stood a good 6'1, but this man seemed to tower above him, making Joe take an involuntary step back.

"And you are?"

"Mike, Mike McLeod. I used to work with your father." Joe stared him up and down. Hed seen his fathers aquiantences before, and they looked nothing like this mess on his porch.

"Yeah? Well, he's actually not in at the moment. Ill let him know you were by." Joe turned to shut the door when the mans arm shot out and caught it before it could close.

"Well, Im assuming you're his son Joe that he's talked so much about." the man spat with false friendliness."Let him know its important. He needs to get back to me as soon as possible." The man smiled, his breath reeked of chewing tobacco and smoke. Joe forced a smile and stood up a little straighter, showing off his own size and muscle. Pulling the door out of the mans grasp Joe stepped towards him.

"Cool. Ill be sure to do that." The man was just about to say something else when Joe shut the door in his face and turned the lock. Bullshit, he thought to himself. That guy never worked for dad. He'd seen them show up here before, looking to see the man that had put all their colleagues in prison. It wasn't something unusual, it just made Joe uneasy to see scum like that find his house so easily. Shooting one last glance out the window, Joe watched the man retreat and stride down the walkway looking slightly pissed. Joe almost laughed. He had been rude, but whatever. Odds were he'd never see the guy again. Turning away from the door, Joe set out the back and into the sunlight, ready to start his day.

Donovan slammed the door to his small country house in anger. Fuck, he hated kids. Especially cocky ones like that one he had just encountered. The Hardy kid was not what he had expected. The kid hadn't even invited him in, just gave him lip and slammed the door. Who did he think he was? He was just like his father. Smart toungued and rude. Didn't even give him the chance to explain who he was. Simply slammed the door and left him standing there like an idiot. True, Donovan didn't really have a plan when he walked up the steps. Just give the kid a fake name and see where it went form there. He didn't want to try anything in broad daylight, but he had hoped to at least maybe make it inside and hold the kid there untill he could get him out unseen.

He needed to do this. Fenton had fucked him over royally. It was true, he hadn't lied to the kid, They had worked together once. A long time ago. Of course, Donovan was working on the wrong side of the law and Fenton had been undercover, posing as a fellow hit man just to catch him in the act. He'd lost 15 years in that prison, along with everything else he had ever held onto in life. Prison.. in short, was worse than he had ever imagined. He'd escaped with what little sanity he had left, completly bent on getting even with the man who had condemmed him to hell.

Grabbing a beer out of the practically empty fridge and promptly slamming the door, he contemplated what excatly he was going to do. Murder had always been his thnig. He had never felt the guilt or regret many others before him had felt. He knew that everyone dies.. its just that some make it there before others. He had never had a bond with any of his victims. It was something he had to do to make a living, something that just came easy to him. But kidnapping... now that was something different. His victims were always shot down when they least expected it, he never had to actually spend time with them. What he was planning on doing with the kid, well, it was almost exciting. He felt like a kid nearing Christmas as he made his plans and stalked his prey day in day out. He had spent time to think about this. He had been watching those kids for a couple days now. Coming in and going out. Always doing something. They were together most of the time too, which could prove to become a problem when he actually had decided which one needed to go.

Chugging the beer and thinking back on his decision, he smiled. Yes, that cocky one was the one that he had to get. He seemed to have too much confidence for his own good. His brother had been polite, even offered to call a tow company when he interrogated Donovan the day before. But this one.. the younger one, had been less cautious the night before and this morning he hadn't even taken the time to look through the window. He could have pushed his way in no problem. He silently cursed himself for not taking advantage of the situation. He'd do it tonight that's for sure. But he might have to deal with both of them this time and he had initially planned on avoiding that. He had found the older one was a little too over protective and it might spoil his plans if he had to bring them both. He was working alone, and one teen was going to be hard enoough, but throwing his nineteen year old brother into the mix was asking for trouble.

Slamming the empty can onto the table and leaning in the window sill, Donovan took in his souroundings. The country house was located way out in a wooded area of town and the nearest neighbors were miles away. He had stumbled on the place while he was still on the run from the cops after escaping prison. The older couple had taken him in, believeing his story of how he became lost in the woods for days. He lived in the wood shed for a couple of days untill news hit this area of town that he had escaped. It was only when the couple had confronted him about it that he had taken matters into his own hands and disposed of them. Now he had the place to himself. No one had come to visit the couple, they must have chosen this particular location for a reason, which suited him fine. Once he had the kid here, he wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming around... it would just be him, and the boy.

Donovan was still contemplating this when the bag on the table caught his eye. Turning away from the window he upended its contents ontop the table. Rope, bullets, rags and one large hunting knife spilt onto the table. Taking a seat on one of the unstable chairs, he surveyed his purchases. Grabbing the knife he held it close to his face and admired it. He had always liked knives more than guns. Maybe it was because unlike guns he was able to get physically close to his victims and kill them himself. He didn't know, and frankly he didn't care. He admired the knife for several more seconds, then without warning he viciously stabbed it into the wood of the table. Glancing at the clock above the window he made note of the time. It was 5 pm. He sat back and, turning to stare out the window.. he waited for darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: Hey guys. Thanks for the couple of reviews you have submitted. I really appreciate them. If there's even one person reading this, then Im going to keep writing:)

And sorry for the wait on this chapter. Schools coming up again and there is lots of stuff that I need to get done! lol Enjoy!

Frank leaned over the counter at the local computer store where he worked looking and feeling completely bored. It was absolutly dead today, he didn't even know why he was called in. Someone was probably sick.. or pretending to be sick in order to take advantage of the summer weather. But he didn't mind, he needed all the hours he could get. University was more expensive than the had imagined, and every penny counted. His parents had given him some money, but they had wanted the boys to "learn the true value of a dollar" and were making them pay for about half the tuition. Even though Joe would be joining him in the fall at Bayport U, his easy going brother had yet to find himself a suitable job.

Grabbing a pen out of the drawer next to him, Frank began to chew on it nervously. Thinking of his brother always made him a little nervous. It seemed like Joe never took anythig seriously. It was all about having fun and not caring. He tried to make it seem like nothing could bother him. But he had noticed the look on Joes face when his father had mentioned the escaped prisoner. It had shooken him up a little. Both brothers had encountered men like this before. And everytime they somehow managed to escape unscaved... but how much longer would their luck hold out? Joe hadn't been taking every safety precaution lately. What with coming home late byhimself and not giving Frank his whereabouts for the day...he was just asking for trouble.

Frank sighed. He didn't want to be overbearing or anything. He just knew his brother had a knack for getting himself into situations he couldn't handle. It was a time tested tradition, and Frank was always the one to run in after him. He had seen his brother survive some close calls, and he couldn't handle anymore. This was his little brother, and he'd do anything to make sure nothing happened to him. He knew Joe felt the same way about him. They just had to watch out for one another.

Checking the time, Frank was stunned to see it was already 9:30. The store closed at ten, so when he got home he'd give Joe a stern talking to, and make sure he understood the seriousness of the situation. They didn't have their father to back them up this time. Both his parents were in Toronto on buisness, and it would take more than a simple phone call to get a hold of them.

The sound of the bell above the doorway broke his train of thought and pushing himself up off the counter, Frank greeted the customers and set about the difficult task of looking busy.

Joe smiled as he walked down the darkening street towards his house. His day had actually gone quite well. While he was out running some errands, he had bumped into Chet and the gang and ended up going back to his place to watch the baseball game on Chets big screen. It had been a good guys night. But his evening was cut short. He didn't want to be late again. Frank was right. They had to be careful with this guy on the loose and everything. According to his dad the guy had been a hitman. Always worked alone and always chaging his appearence. They had seen a picture, but it was blurry, and taken before the guy spent 15 years in hell. No doubt he looked nothing like the picture now.

Well, Im not going to let the thought of some psycho ruin my summer. Joe thought to himself as he reached his steps. Taking out the keys he once again unlocked the door and, making sure to remember the keys this time, he opened the door and entered the dark house.

Shutting the door, Joe was overwhelmed by the sudden coolness in the air. Slipping off his sandels he bounded up the stairs, and upon entering the room he shared with his brother, grabbed a white hoodie off the floor and threw it on.

Stretching his arms as he made his way back downstairs, Joe turned on the livingroom lights and plopped himself down on the large lazy boy facing the T.V. This was the first time in weeks that he was home before midnight, let alone home before midnight with no plans on going back out. Turning around the catch sight of the clock on the wall behind him, he made note of the time.

"Well, Frank will be home in about an hour... might as well just kill some time." Sighing, Joe begin to flip through the channels.

Donovan had been sitting in the same chair at the kicthen table, deepin thought, for more than three hours straight when the howl of a coyote in the distance snapped him out of his trance. Night had fallen, and as he hauled himself out of the chair the hairs on the back of his neck began to stand on edge. Tonight was the night. It had to be done tonight. His heart beating rapidly, Donovan set about making sure he had what he needed for task ahead. He'd need the rope, thats for sure, and the rags in case the kid was going to be uncooperative which he assumed would be the case. But he was still undecided on his method of intimidation. What would the kid be more scared of.. a gun, or a knife? He didn't want to bring both for fear of having the kid overpower him in one fleeting moment and have one of his own weapons turned against him. Thinking about this for a minute, he grabbed one and threw it in the bag along with the other supplies and left one sitting on the table. As he headed towards the door he detoured and entered the bathroom. Opening the medicine cabinet he grabbed the stolen bottle of chloroform and tossed it in the bag as well. He really didn't want the kid to be drugged. But this was for emergencies. Maybe in case his brother walked in. He just wanted the boy to be awake as long as possible, wanted him to suffer every moment like he had in prison.

Throwing on a black sweater Donovan walked out the door, slamming it and kicking the beer bottles out of the way. Entering his car he lit up and cigarette and pulled out of the long driveway towards the road that would lead him towards the Hardys.

Almost an hour later, a frustrated Joe was still flicking through the channels when a dark green car pulled onto the side of the street, just a couple houses up from the Hardy residence.

Completly oblivious to the incoming danger, Joe was beginning to become a little bored. Staying in on a hot summer night while his friends were out partying was not something he was used to, and not something he was enjoying.

Throwing down the remote, Joe stalked out of the living room and made his way towards the kicthen. The hallway was only illuminated by the light from the living room, causing shadows to throw themselves across the walkway. His barefeet made no sound as he entered the kicthen and grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl on the counter. Turning to walk back to the living room he caught his image in the glass window of the deck door. He was still wearing the shorts he had put on this morning, but he had just realised now that he still had his sunglasses perched on his head. He stiffled a laugh reached up and was just taking them off his head when a loud knock on the door startled him and he dropped them to the floor. Cursing, Joe placed the applce back in the bowl andleaned down and picked the glasses up off the floor.Broken. With an angered groan Joe examined the cracked lens's. He was still surverying the damage when the knock came again. Placing the broken shades on the counter, the teen turned his attention towards the front door. Who the hell could that be? He thought with frustration. It was probably a salesman or some type of surveyer. They had been coming around a lot this summer. Turning off the kitchen lights Joe made his way back to the front door. Looking out the window onto the front steps he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"No fucking way.." Shaking his head Joe unlocked the door once again to the man who claimed he used to work with his father. Why is this guys here again? I just finished telling him that dad wasn't home. Joe's intuition was telling him that something wasn't right here. He knew just by looking at the guy that there was no way he had ever worked with his father... so why should he open up the door for him? With his hand still on the doorknob he hesitated. Maybe he should just keep the door shut. Frank should be home anytime now, maybe it was a good idea just to wait.

Another loud knock broke his train of thought, and with an angry snarl Joe swung the door open.

"Look, I don't know what else I can tell.." Blinding pain struck the right side of his face. The gun had made swift contact and succeded in cutting the teen off and knocking him harshly to the ground. Joes head connected painfully to the floor, and he lay fighting unconciousness and breathing heavily as the figure in the doorway slipped his way in and shut the door, locking it behind him.

His head reeling from the blow, Joe attempted to push himself off the floor, but the man simply placed his foot on the teens neck forcing him to remain on the ground. Joe was beginning to panic. Normally he wasn't one to panic, but he also wasn't one to be caught off guard in his own home either. His breathing was becoming more and more painful and the mans foot on his neck was only making this worse. He could hear the mans heavy breathing and was terrified of the fact that he couldn't see his attacker. At this moment he was completly vaunrable, and utterly terrified.

" If its jewllery or money your looking for, it's upstairs, the third room to the right in the top drawer." Joe gasped. His intuition was telling him that the man who had just assaulted him hadn't come for money or jewllery. If that had been the case, the man would have probably already have shot him and then raided the house for material goods.Although these thoughts rushed through his head, common sense was telling him that at the moment, he just needed to get this guy talking.

He waited. There was no response. The foot on his neck never eased, the breathing never slowed. He could hear the man moving, maybe towards him, maybe away...he didn't know. His answer came when the barrel of a small handgun touched the top of his head. Joe's breathing immidietly quickened. If there was anything he was quite familliar with, it was the feeling of the barrel of a gun touching his head. He began squirming even more under the mans foot as he tried to move his head away from the cold metal. The gun dug deeper into his head, making his face press against the cold hardwood floor. He silently prayed that Frank wouldn't walk in right now, he'd probably get himself shot.

"Money? Jewllery? Now what the fuck would I need that for?" The voice cut the silence like a knife. Joe winced and waited for another blow. The man's voice was filled with venom and the boot pressed down harder. "What I need, is something thats going to make all those years in prison seem worthwhile... what I need is my sanity back... what I need is a life.. yours"

Joes breathing momentarily stopped. All those times his dad warned them about people coming after them for revenge... it was actually happening. This was the guy his dad had warned him and Frank about. The same guy Joe had scoffed at and sent rudely away. He looked at his fingers sprawled away from his face and wasn't surprised to see them shaking against the floor. He couldn't even believe this. This must be some sort of nightmare. But the pain on his neck and the gun at the back of his head was nothing short of real.

Joe was just beginning to get his thoughts straight when the man reached down and, grabbing his hood, lifted him roughly off the groud and slammed him face first into the wall. His already bruised face sustained another blow as the man leaned in and grabbed a fistfull of blond hair. Pushing the gun into the small of the teens back, Donovan leaned in and rasped into Joes ear breathing heavily, almost panting. "Im going to let go of you nice and easy. You're going to go into the kitchen, Ill be right behind you and I will not hesitate to kill you if you try anything. Now, you're going to write a note to your brother explaining that I have you, and that we'll call at" Donovan paused and checked his watch. "1 am. You got that. Now im not kidding around with you kid. Do what I say, and you might just make it out of this alive. Now nod if you understand what I just told you." Joe remained still, not wanting to give into this mans scare tactics. He was rewarded when the gun pressed harder into his back. "Did you fucking hear me! Nod your head!" The man was insane, yelling into Joes face and pulling back on his hair even harder. Joe gasped and nodded his head.

Donovan snarled and slammed Joes face into the wall one last time before releasing the boys hair and backing up. He waited for the kid to start moving. They didn't have all night and he was unsure where the boys brother was. He just wanted to get the kid out of this house and into the car before something could ruin his plans.

But Joe didn't move. He was in complete shock he just had no idea what to do next. He didn't want to listen to this psycho, but at the same time he really didn't feel like being shot. With one arm steadying himself on the wall, and the other pressed up against the gash on his head from being pistol whipped he contemplated his next move. Out of all the criminals he had ever come across, this one seemed the most desperate and insane. He hadn't even tried to lure him away, just showed up on his front doorstep. He was bold, which wasn't so good in this case. Rubbing his head and shutting his eyes, Joe tried to think about what he was supposed to do next when he felt the familliar cold metal on the back of his head. Tensing up he stared blankly at the wall, wondering if this was it.

"Look kid.. can I call you Joe? Joe.. you need to move.. now. Don't make me tell you again." Once again, there was no emotion or fear in the mans voice.. just pure hatred. Joe could feel his body shaking. He didn't remeber the last time he was this scared. He felt like the man was breathing in his fear, making him even more bold and confident. Joe refused to give him that satisfaction. Taking deep breath he stepped away from the wall. Removing his hand from his forehead he wasn't surprised to see that it was stained red. It wasn't too bad, but looking at the wall he noticed that blood had smeared on the wall when he had been pushed into it.

Refusing to look at Donovan Joe turned towards the kicthen and slowly made his way down the hall. He could hear the man behind him, breathing heavily, his boots slamming on the hard floor. When Joe was a little out of the man's reach, Donovan reached out grabbed hold of Joe's arm, attempting to slow him down. Joe would have none of this. Turning around he glared at Donovan and ripped his arm out of the mans grasp and continued down the hallway.If this guy thought that Joe was going to make this as easy as possible, he was even crazier than he seemed. He was almost waiting for another blow but none came. He assumed the man was probably in a rush to get him out of here. Entering the dark kitchen, Joe flicked on the lights. He shot a descrete look at the clock above the stove and was shocked to see that it was eleven... Frank would be home any second now.

Donovan was watching the boy closely and noticed his reaction to the time. "You're not expecting anyone are you? Im not going to be surprised if I see a girlfriend or maybe you're brother walk in now will I?" He eyed Joe suspiciously, never lowering the gun aimed at his head. Joe made it around the counter and glared at Donovan. He didn't want Frank to get shot walking in here, but Frank might be his only hope at the moment. Joe thought fast.

"No. Frank went out for the night. I got stuck house-sitting." He lied. Donovan looked him up and down once, then his eyes moved away from Joe towards the end of the counter. Joe turned his head in that direction and felt his blood run cold. He reached towards the paper laying on the edge of the counter but was stopped by Donovan.

"Don't even think about it." Moving towards the teen Donovan kept the gun trained on the boys head. He stood behind him, towering over Joe, who was still staring at the note Frank had left earlier, now within sight of the intruder. Donovan grabbed the back of Joe's neck and turned the boy around to face him. Joe refused to look in the man's face and opted insted to look out the window.

"Look at me." Donovan spat. Joe still glared out the window, the empty yard was a comforting sight and he refused to give into this psychos orders. The man shook Joes neck pulling him closer to his own face.

"If I see your brother walk through the door, Ill kill him."

Joe's head snapped to face Donovan. This had gotten his attention.

"Okay, I lied. Ill write the note right now and we can get out of here. Frank doesn't even have to get involved. Just give me a fuckingsecond." Joe narrowed his eyes at Donovan, breathing heavily, both locked in a staring battle. Donovan was raising his fist to respond when a loud banging on the door was heard.

Joes head snapped towards the the sound. Shit, that was definitly Frank. God, he was going to get himself shot. His brain was despretly trying to come up with a plan when the knock came again. He could hear his brother yelling something but was unable tohear what exactly he was saying through the thick wooden door.

Fuck, the kids brother. Sighing, Donovan shook his head. He had seen this coming and had planned carefully for it. He grabbed Joe from behind, wrapping a muscualr arm around the boys neck and pressing the gun to his head. Joe squirmed, but stopped immedietly when Donovan whispered in his ear.

"Cooperate and I won't kill him." Joe knew the man was serious and waited for Frank to enter the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

A/n: Sorry this chapter took awhile. I wanted to make some changes to it and it took longer than I thought! Thanks for the reviews you guys have already submitted and please continue to contribute your opinions. Hope you enjoy this one!

Frank bounded up the stairs and reached to open the door. It was locked. Looking through the window, Frank was surprised to see both Joe's sandals and sneakers illuminated by the light from the t.v. The kitchen light down the hall was also on. Frank smiled. Joe picked a good time to play it safe, Frank had left his keys in his other jeans. Frank checked the pocket of his navy hoodie just to be sure he hadn't stuck them in there on his way out. Sure enough it was empty. Banging on the door Frank shouted inside.

"Joe, come open the door I left my keys inside." He waited. There was no movement in the house and no sound. Sighing, Frank tried again. "Seriously Joe, open the damn door." Again nothing. He could see a shadow moving in the kitchen. Joe was probably making himself something to eat and wasn't paying any attention to the noise Frank was making.

Cursing, Frank turned back down the steps and walked towards a large rock propped at the end of the driveway. Turning it over he relieved to see the hide-a-key still there. He grabbed it and trotted back up the stairs and slipped the key into the lock.

Opening the door, he immedietly knew something was wrong. Other than the t.v blaring in the livingroom next to him, the house was completly silent. Frank quietly shut the door behind him and reached over to turn on the hall light, never taking his eyes off the end of the hallway. Feeling for the light switch in the dark hallway, Franks hand slipped in something wet. With a feeling of dread, he reached the switch and flicked it on.

His hand was stainedwith blood.

Franks heart completly stopped. He suddenly lost his balance and caught himself on the wall. This was blood... this was his brothers blood on his hand. The thought made him nauseous,and he fought back the urge to vomit. Not even thinking about his own safety, Frank flew down the hall yelling his brothers name.

He was running so fast he practically slid into the kitchen. The sight he was met with froze his blood and stopped him cold. The man he had offered to help with his car troubles was holding his brother in front of him with a gun jammed in the side of his head. The mans short brown hair was stuck to his head with sweat and he eyed Frank without fear. Joe didn't look good either. The left side of his face was wet with blood coming from a gash on his head, his white hoodie had drops of blood forming around the collar. Frank stared at Joe. His brothers eyes were filled with fear, and he was gasping for breath.

"Jesus.. Come on man, we'll give you what you want. Just calm down and let him go." Frank pleaded with him. He felt somewhat responsible for this since he had failed to see this man as a threat the day before. If only he had let the police know they could have caught him before it escalated to this.

Donovan eyed the young man before him. The kid was outfitted in a navy blue hoodie and a pair of jeans. He was tall, not as tall as him, but tall none the less, and his brown hair was shaggy like his brothers. Both boys were lean and muscular, it was a trait that one could use to link them as siblings. But this didn't intimidate Donovan. He was bigger than both these guys, and with Joe by his side, he knew Frank wouldn't try anything.

Donovan sqeezed Joe a little tighter, making the boy tilt back his head in an attempt to get more air. Joe grabbed onto the mans arm, trying to pry him off his neck, but it was no use, the guy was too strong.

"I got what I came here for. Now listen to me Frank. If you want to see your brother again I have some demands that need to be met. First off, I want you to take a seat at the kitchen table. Good.. yeah, that seat right there. Now Im going to leave a message for you to give to your father. Tell him I have his kid," with this Donovan lowered the gun from Joes head, opting insted to point it at his neck. "and if he ever wants to see him again, he's gotta start playing by my rules now. Im in charge this time. And Im not fucking around. If I see one cop following me or showing up at my house, the kid is going to die."

Joe shut his eyes. He couldn't believe the mess he was in this time. This guy was going to kill him. In the back of Joes mind he knew. He knew that even if his dad did everything he could this man was still going to kill him. He was unstable, and bent on revenge. Ransom money wasn't going to satisfy him. Opening his eyes he looked once again at his brother seated at the kitchen table. Frank had the same confused and shocked look on his face that Joe had earlier. But with one glance into his brother's brown eyes, he knew. Frank had come to the same conclusion that Joe had. This man had come to kill one of them. He didn't come to play around or maybe rough them up a little. He was serious. Frank breathed in a shaky breath. He couldn't let this happen. Taking one last deep breath Frank stood up from his seat at the table.

"Why don't you just let him go. Ill come with you. I won't struggle or anything. Just bring me with you insted." Frank slowly started moving towards Donovan. His hands slightly raised in the air. His heart was beating rapidly.

At first Donovan tensed seeing the teen move towards him without his permission. He tightened his grip on Joe and eyed Frank. howvere, it seemed he was taking Franks proposition into consideration. He eyed Frank up and down. The gun aimed at Joes neck was slowly moving away. But insted of being lowered, the gun was aimed at Frank insted. The teen stopped moving. He stood a couple feet in front of the crazed man, his arms still raised letting Donovan know he was in complete control. Joe had tensed up as well. His eyes had widended at Franks request and he had vigourously shook his head no. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if anything happened to his brother because of him. The mans arm wrapped a little tighter around his neck and Joe began to struggle to breathe. His gasping breaths were the only sound in the room. Tension swirled in the air so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Thats a really good offer there Frank. But I think Im good. Now go sit back down. We're going to leave now. I think we've alrady spent enough time here." Frank backed up and took a seat at the same chair feeling completly helpless. He watched silently as Donovan began to move backwards, dragging a terrified Joe in front of him. Every muslce in Franks body was twitching. He used every ounce of willpower his brain held to keep himself seated. Joe was dragging his feet hoping to maybe slow him down a little. But it was no use. The man easily overpowered him and he still had the gun trained on Frank. Joe didn't want to risk making him angry for fear of him taking a shot at his brother.

Upon reaching the entrance way of the kitchen Donovan stopped. The mans face was hidden in the shadows and for a moment all Frank could see was his brother and a gun pointing from the hallway. With the gun still aimed at Franks head Donovan leaned in to whisper in Joe's ear. "Im going to let go of your neck. Insted Im going to hold onto your hood. Stay in front of me at all times and we're going to slowly make our way out of the house and into the car I have parked in the driveway. If you do everything like I say, Im just going to leave your brother alone. Do you understand me?" Joe nodded his head. He still had his eyes locked on his brothers. It was the only thing keeping him calm at the moment. "Good, now Im going to let you go, one wrong move and Ill kill him. Understand?" Joe once again nodded his head. Finally he could feel the pressure on his neck lessening. He could feel a hand grab his hood and hold on tightly. Joe lifted his own arm and wiped his forhead with the sleeve of his sweater. It came back stained in red, but he could already tell that the bleeding was going down.

"Now move." Donovans voice was louder now and Frank watched as Joe debated on what to do next. Please just do what he says Joe. This one time don't do anything stupid. Frank attempted to convey this message to Joe who stood stock still at the other side of the room.

But Joes mind was reeling. He didn't want to leave the safety of his house. He had escaped situations like this lots of times, couldn't he do it now? His headstrong attitude was beginning to push its way out, and Frank watched terrified as Joe hands tightened into fists. Joe cast Frank one last look before he turned, pretending to enter the hallway as Donovan, who was standing behind the teen turned to let him through. To accomadate the teen passing him, Donovan lowered the gun for a fraction of a second. Joe saw this as his oppurtunity and before Frank had a chance to stop him, Joe swung out and aimed his fist towards Donovans head


End file.
